Signature Theatre co-founder resigns amid accusations
ARLINGTON, Va. - Last Sunday, actor Thomas Keegan took to social media to re-tell his accusations against Signature Theatre co-founder Eric Schaeffer.
“Eric Schaeffer is the artistic director of Signature Theatre who I knew and had been friendly with approached me, started a conversation with me and over the course of that conversation fondled or grazed intentionally my genitals at least three times. Three distinct times I remember,” says Keegan in an exclusive interview with FOX 5 DC.
Keegan says Schaeffer groped his genitals at least three times backstage at the Helen Hayes Awards show back in 2018.
He filed a complaint with the theater company which prompted the board of directors to hire an independent law firm for an internal probe.
Here is a statement from the theater group:
“Upon receiving the complaint, the Signature Board of Directors immediately began an inquiry and hired The Thatcher Law Firm to conduct an independent investigation. Mr. Schaeffer was put on administrative leave pending the outcome of the inquiry… The investigation concluded that Mr. Keegan’s actions and statements were not credible and showed a motivation for money and publicity."
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Keegan’s social media post prompted several others to contact him about their own accusations against Schaeffer.
Following the social media posts, Signature announced Schaeffer’s resignation after 30 years with the theater company.
“He should have resigned at least ten years ago that this has been a pattern of criminal behavior in some instances and treacherous behavior and unprofessional behavior that doesn’t speak of leadership. So you know he should have been gone a long time ago and because he wasn’t, and because of what the black lives matter is teaching us is because these kinds of problems are systematic,” says Keegan.
Schaeffer’s last day at The Signature Theatre will be on June 30.